Wildfire Prepared Home checklist

What the IBHS checklist asks for, level by level, and what you can start this week.

The short answer. Wildfire Prepared Home is a voluntary designation from IBHS, the Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety. There are two levels. Base is about stopping embers, and most existing homes can reach it. Plus adds protection from flames and heat, and is usually reached in a remodel or new build. Start with the first 5 feet. It is the biggest part of Base. As of October 11, 2026. (IBHS)

Who this applies to

Owners of single-family homes, modular homes and manufactured homes built after July 1994, on a permanent foundation, three stories or fewer, and not under construction. The applicant must be the owner. (IBHS)

It is voluntary. Some insurers look for it, and the details differ by company. What each insurer says. Ask your own insurer before you spend money.

The first 5 feet (Base)

Side of a house with propane tanks, a plastic barrel, trash bins and leaf litter stacked along the wall beside a downspout — Stored items, propane tanks and leaf litter against a wall. Things like this sit inside the first 5 feet on many homes.

The checklist calls this the 0 to 5 foot noncombustible zone. It is measured from the exterior walls, or from the outer edge of attached wood decks and similar structures. (IBHS checklist)

Clear plants down to bare soil, including irrigated and "fire-resistant" plants.
Remove tree limbs and branches in the zone, including ones that hang over it.
Use only noncombustible ground cover: gravel, pavers, river rock, decomposed granite, stepping stones or concrete.
Remove wood or rubber mulch, pine needles, artificial turf and exposed weed cloth.
Replace wood fencing and gates in the zone with metal or concrete. Vinyl and composite do not count.
Move out firewood, wood furniture, rugs, plastic rain barrels and cars or boats.
Trash bins, doormats, hoses and grills must go indoors or at least 30 feet away during a Red Flag Warning or a long absence.

Not everything has to go. HVAC and pool equipment, irrigation parts, pet doors and plastic downspout extensions are allowed to stay.

5 to 30 feet (Base)

Top-down view of a house with a shaded 5-foot ring and a dashed 30-foot boundary. Five numbered spots mark the first 5 feet, a hedge row, a shed, firewood and a propane tank. — **First 5 feet:** noncombustible only
**Hedges and shrub rows:** at least 10 feet from the home
**Shed or other structure over 15 sq ft:** at least 10 feet from the home, 3 or fewer within 30 feet
**Firewood:** at least 30 feet, unless it is in an approved structure
**Propane tank:** at least 30 feet, or at least 10 feet with extra clearing around it
Base level distances. Not to scale.

Trees: at least 6 feet from the ground to the lowest branch, and tree rows at least 10 feet from the home.
Grass: under 4 inches. On slopes held by grass for erosion control, up to 18 inches.
Shrubs: clusters no wider than 10 feet. Space them at twice the height of the tallest plant, up to 10 feet.
Remove dead grass, weeds, shrubs, branches, leaves and needles on a regular basis.
Keep branches at least 10 feet from chimneys and stovepipe outlets.

The numbers come from the IBHS checklist. The full technical standard has more detail for hot tubs, outdoor kitchens and water tanks.

The house itself (Base)

Roof: Class A fire-rated covering, such as asphalt shingles, tile, slate or metal. Keep it clear of debris.
Gutters and downspouts: metal or another noncombustible material, kept clear of leaves and needles.
Vents: flame- and ember-resistant vents, or the existing roof, attic, eave and foundation vents covered with 1/8-inch corrosion-resistant metal mesh. Dryer vents are the exception. They need a working flap and no mesh.
Wall base: 6 inches of noncombustible material where walls meet the ground, and 6 inches above an attached deck or patio.
Decks: nothing stored under them. Low decks (4 feet or less) get a 1/8-inch metal mesh enclosure.

What Plus adds

Chart comparing Base and Plus on gutters, vents, windows, siding and sheds. Plus adds gutter guards, metal dryer vents, two tempered glass panes, noncombustible siding and shutters, and moves sheds 30 feet or more away. — Examples of what Plus adds on top of Base. Plus also needs everything in Base.

Plus also covers enclosed eaves, skylights, exterior doors and a noncombustible deck. For most existing homes that means a remodel. (IBHS one-page checklist)

What to do this week

Walk the house and write down what sits within 5 feet of every wall.
Rake leaves and needles off the roof edge, out of gutters and away from the wall.
Move firewood, bins, furniture and tanks out of the first 5 feet.
Look at every vent and note which have no mesh or have wide openings.
Take dated photos of all four sides. The application asks for them.

Mulch, fences, vents and decks cost real money to change. Price them before you commit.

How the designation process works

Pick a level and finish the work.
Apply in the IBHS online portal. The application fee is $125 and does not guarantee a designation.
Upload photos of all four sides, the first 5 feet, and decks, pergolas, hot tubs and propane tanks.
Pass an in-person evaluation. If no evaluator is nearby, an approved self-inspection app can be used at no added fee.
The certificate is valid for three years, with reviews in years 1 and 2.

Fees and rules can change. Confirm on the IBHS page. We are not part of IBHS and we do not issue designations.

How to keep your home insurance in a fire zone

Zone 0 in Sonoma County

Home Ready Sonoma

Sources

IBHS: Wildfire Prepared Home requirements summary (checked October 11, 2026)
IBHS: 2026 one-page abbreviated checklist (checked October 11, 2026)
IBHS: About Wildfire Prepared Home (eligibility, fee and process, checked October 11, 2026)